Texas Hold 'Em Starting Hand Nicknames

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Texas Hold 'Em Starting Hand Nicknames

Want to talk like a pro or just understand other players when they speak? Learn the slang that Hold 'Em regulars use to describe their hole cards and improve your vocabulary while you improve your game with THETA Poker.

Starting Hands by Nickname
Starting Hands by Cards

Starting Hands by Nickname

Ace Magnets {the hand loses value if an ace hits the board} - KK
Ace with winning kicker - AJ
Ainsworth {British poker player Ron Ainsworth, known to play this} - 62
Ajax - AJ
Alaska Hand - K3
American Airlines - AA
Anna Kournikova {"looks great but never wins" according to Vince Van Patton} - AK
Ashtray - A3
Barbara Feldon {Agent 99 in "Get Smart" television show; I'm sure we'll be calling this an Anne Hathaway now also} - 99
Baskin Robbins {ice cream chain boasts 31 flavors} - A3
Beer Hand {time for a beer} - 72
Big Al {Wisconsin poker player "Big Al" Emerson} - KT
Big Chick - AQ
Big Fritz {German poker player Andreas Fritz} - K2 suited
Big Pair - QQ
Big Slick (...in a Suit if suited) - AK
Blackjack - AJ
Blocky {tournament director Jimmy Summerfield's nickname} - 63
Bowling Hand - T7
Broderick Crawford {star of the 60's show "Highway Patrol" who said, "10-4"} - T4
Bullets - AA
Bully Johnson {poker player, described as laid back and quiet by Doyle Brunson, played this hand despite preflop raise and caught a straight on the flop to win against trip aces} - 53
Cambodian Big Slick - 74
Can of Corn - 32
Canadian Aces - QQ
Canadian Presto - 44
Canadian Rockets - QQ
Canine - K9
Cherries {shape of the fruit} - 66
Chris Ferguson {won final hand of the 2000 WSOP Championship event with this against TJ Cloutier's AQ} - A9
City Park {Two Threes [Trees]} - 33
Colt 44 - 44
Colt 45 - 54
Columbia River {King Seven [Salmon]: river is famous for its salmon runs} - K7
Commander Crab - K3
Computer Hand {roughly average hand} - Q7
Convoy - T4
Countdown - T9
Cowboy Wolford {poker player Byron "Cowboy" Wolford, known to play this} - 62
Cowboys - KK
Crabs - 33
Daisy {Daisy Duck} - Q2
Dead Man's Hand {actual hand was Aces over 8s} - A8
Deuces - 22
Diana Dors - 44
Dimes - TT
Disabled Veterans - JJ
Divorce (if it doesn't hold up) - KQ
Dolly Parton - QQ
Dolly Parton {from her movie and song "Nine to Five"} - 95
Donald {Donald Duck} - K2
Doyle Brunson {won both 1976 & 1977 WSOP Championship with T2} - T2
Doyle Brunson {ironic name as he prefers not to play it} - AQ
Ducks - 22
F&W Woolworth's {five and dime stores} - T5
Fast Connection {T3 telecommunications connection} - T3
Fido - K9
Finky Dink - 85
Fishhooks - JJ
Five and Dime - T5
Flat Tire {what a jack is for} - J4
Flower Girls - QQ
Fork {"4K"} - K4
German Virgin - 99
Gilchrist - 64
Golden Dan - T8
Good Buddy - T4
Goolsby - QT
Granny Mae {granny = queen and May = fifth month} - Q5
Hachem {Joseph Hachem won the 2005 World Series main event with 7c3s, flopping a straight with 4d5d6h} - 73
Hard Working Man - 95
Harry Potter - KJ
Heckle and Jeckle {Two jays (cartoon birds)} - J2
Heinz {57 varieties once claimed by food company} - 75
Henry Bowen {Texas gambler} - 86
High Five - A5
Hilton Sisters - QQ
Hooks - JJ
Hooter Hand - 32
Hunting Season {bullet plus duck} - A2
Jack Benny {comedian joked about always being 39 years old} - 93
Jackson Five - J5
Jailhouse Rock - QQ
Jane Russell - 54
Jaybirds - JJ
Jeff Talley (or Jack Talley) {Jim Bechtel won the 1993 WSOP with this when his jack was high} - J6
Jeffrey Dahmer {cannibal ate Jack} - J8
Jesse James {may have been killed by a Colt 45} - 54
Jesus {Chris Ferguson's nickname} - A9
Jimmy Summerfield {poker tournament director?} - 63
Joe Bernstein - 96
Joe Montana Banana {Hall of Fame quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers} - 94
Johnny Moss {possibly because he started playing poker at age 10} - AT
Kangaroos - KK
Kate - K8
Katie - KT
Ken Warren {poker writer who bestowed his own nickname in a book} - 65
Kicks - K6
Kicks {rhymes with 66 in "Route 66" song} - 66
King Crab - K3
King John - KJ
King Kong - KK
Kojak - KJ
Kokomo - K8
Kuwait - Q8
Ladies - QQ
Little Oldsmobile {car model smaller than the 98} - 88
Lumberman's Hand {two by four pieces of wood} - 42
Magnum - 44
Marriage (Mixed Marriage if unsuited) - KQ
Maverick {The "Maverick" TV show's theme song says, "Livin' on jacks and queens. Maverick is a legend of the west."} - QJ
Merfs {draw poker game with tens and fives wild} - T5
Mississippi Slick - 32
Moneymaker {Chris Moneymaker won the 2003 WSOP Main Event with this hand} - 54
Montana Banana {Joe Montana led the San Francisco 49ers on a 92-yard game-winning drive in the closing seconds of Super Bowl XXIII} - 92
Most feared hand in Holdem - 83
Motown - J5
Mullets - 77
Ninety-Nine - 99
Oedipus (or Oedipus Rex) {Greek story of incestuous mother-son relationship} - QJ
OJ {It's a killer} - QJ
Oldsmobile {car model} - 98
One-Eyed Jacks - JJ
Orwell {George Orwell wrote the novel 1984} - 84
Over and Out {radio communication term} - T4
PB&J {Peanut Butter and Jelly} - Q6
People who need people - KJ
Phil Hellmuth {won 1989 World Series of Poker Main Event with this hand} - 99
Piano Keys - 88
Pinochle {specifically, the Q of spades and J of diamonds meld from the card game Pinochle} - QJ
Pocket Rockets - AA
Pocket Swans - 22
Polish Big Slick - 32
Popeye's - 99
Presto - 55
Quarter - 52
Quinine {sounds like the early anti-malarial drug} - Q9
Quint {sound} - QT
Racetracks - 88
Railroad - 96
Railroad Hand - J6
Raquel Welch {actress claims to always be 38 years old} - 83
Robert Varkonyi {won 2002 WSOP Championship with QT, making a boat over Julian Gardner's flush} - QT
Rockette - AJ
Roger That {radio communication term for "yes, I understand"} - T4
Route 66 - 66
Royal Couple (if suited) - KQ
RPM {original 10-inch vinyl record speed was 78 r.p.m.} - 87
Sailboats - 44
Santa Barbara - AK
Saturn - 77
Saw Mill - K9
Scotty Nguyen {Scotty Nguyen won the 1998 WSOP with this hand when the board came 89988 and induced a call from Kevin McBride by saying the memorable line, "You call this one and it's all over, baby"} - J9
Seattle Special {Seattle TV channel 5 based in King county, Washington} - K5
Sizzler {King Crab specials at restaurant} - K3
Slapshot {hockey stick 7 hitting a puck ace} - A7
Snowmen (or Pocket Snowmen) - 88
Speed Limit - 55
Split {7-10 split in bowling} - T7
Sunset Strip - 77
Sven - 83
Sweet {Sweet Sixteen} - T6
Tension - TT
Tetris - T8
Texas Dolly - T2
The Rabbit {Australian cricketer Adam Gilchrist who hit a lot of 6's and 4's} - 64
Transvestite {4 looks like a second ace but isn't one} - A4
Treys - 33
Trombones {song "76 Trombones" from the movie Music Man} - 76
Tucson Monster - KJ
Twiggy {29 measurement? 32-23-32 according to Google} - 92
Two Bits {2 bits used to equal 25 cents} - 52
Two Fat Ladies - 88
Union Oil {gas station Union 76} - 76
Unit {canine unit of the police} - K9
Walking Sticks - 77
Walking Back to Houston - AQ
Waltz {dance in 3/4 time (three beats of quarter notes per measure)} - 43
Weinberg - T3
What a Dog - K9
Woolworth's {five and dime stores} - T5

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Starting Hands by Cards

AA - Pocket Rockets; Bullets; American Airlines
AK - Big Slick (...in a Suit if suited); Anna Kournikova {"looks great but never wins" according to Vince Van Patton}; Santa Barbara
AQ - Big Chick; Walking Back to Houston; Doyle Brunson {ironic name as he prefers not to play it}
AJ - Blackjack; Ace with winning kicker; Rockette; Ajax
AT - Johnny Moss {possibly because he started playing poker at age 10}
A9 - Chris Ferguson {won final hand of the 2000 WSOP Championship event with this against TJ Cloutier's AQ}; Jesus {Ferguson's nickname}
A8 - Dead Man's Hand {actual hand was Aces over 8s}
A7 - Slapshot {hockey stick 7 hitting a puck ace}
A5 - High Five
A4 - Transvestite {4 looks like a second ace but isn't one}
A3 - Ashtray; Baskin Robbins {ice cream chain boasts 31 flavors}
A2 - Hunting Season {bullet plus duck}
KK - Cowboys; King Kong; Kangaroos; Ace Magnets {the hand loses value if an ace hits the board}
KQ - Marriage (Mixed Marriage if unsuited; Divorce if it doesn't hold up); Royal Couple (if suited)
KJ - Kojak; King John; Tucson Monster; Harry Potter; People who need people
KT - Katie; Big Al {Wisconsin poker player "Big Al" Emerson}
K9 - Fido; What a Dog; Unit; Canine; Saw Mill
K8 - Kokomo; Kate
K7 - Columbia River {King Seven [Salmon]: river is famous for its salmon runs}
K6 - Kicks
K5 - Seattle Special {Seattle TV channel 5 based in King county, Washington}
K4 - Fork {"4K"}
K3 - Commander Crab; King Crab; Alaska Hand; Sizzler {King Crab specials at restaurant}
K2 - Big Fritz (if suited) {German poker player Andreas Fritz}; Donald {Donald Duck}
QQ - Canadian Rockets; Canadian Aces; Siegfried & Roy; Ladies; Jailhouse Rock; Flower Girls; Big Pair; Dolly Parton; Hilton Sisters
QJ - OJ {It's a killer}; Maverick {The "Maverick" TV show's theme song says, "Livin' on jacks and queens. Maverick is a legend of the west."}; Oedipus (or Oedipus Rex) {Greek story of incestuous mother-son relationship}; Pinochle {specifically, the Q of spades and J of diamonds meld from the card game Pinochle}
QT - Robert Varkonyi {won 2002 WSOP Championship with QT, making a boat over Julian Gardner's flush}; Quint {sound}; Goolsby
Q9 - Quinine {sounds like the early anti-malarial drug}
Q8 - Kuwait
Q7 - Computer Hand {roughly average hand}
Q6 - PB&J {Peanut Butter and Jelly}
Q5 - Granny Mae {granny = queen and May = fifth month}
Q2 - Daisy {Daisy Duck}
JJ - Fishhooks; Hooks; Jaybirds; One-Eyed Jacks; Disabled Veterans
J9 - Scotty Nguyen {Scotty Nguyen won the 1998 WSOP with this hand when the board came 89988 and induced a call from Kevin McBride by saying the memorable line, "You call this one and it's all over, baby"}
J8 - Jeffrey Dahmer {cannibal ate Jack}
J6 - Jeff Talley (or Jack? Talley) {Jim Bechtel won the 1993 WSOP with this when his jack was high}; Railroad Hand
J5 - Motown; Jackson Five
J4 - Flat Tire {what a jack is for}
J2 - Heckle and Jeckle {Two jays (cartoon birds)}
TT - Dimes; Tension
T9 - Countdown
T8 - Tetris; Golden Dan
T7 - Split {7-10 split in bowling}; Bowling Hand
T6 - Sweet {Sweet Sixteen}
T5 - F&W Woolworth's; Five and Dime; Merfs {draw poker game with tens and fives wild}
T4 - Broderick Crawford {star of the 60's show "Highway Patrol" who said, "10-4"}; Convoy; Good Buddy; Over and Out; Roger That
T3 - Fast Connection {T3 telecommunications connection}; Weinberg
T2 - Texas Dolly; Doyle Brunson {won both 1976 & 1977 WSOP Championship with T2}
99 - Popeye's; Phil Hellmuth {won 1989 World Series of Poker Main Event with this hand}; 99; German Virgin; Barbara Feldon {Agent 99 in "Get Smart" television show}
98 - Oldsmobile {car model}
96 - Railroad; Joe Bernstein
95 - Dolly Parton {from her movie and song "Nine to Five"}; Hard Working Man
94 - Joe Montana Banana {Hall of Fame quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers}
93 - Jack Benny {comedian joked about always being 39 years old}
92 - Montana Banana {Joe Montana led the San Francisco 49ers on a 92-yard game-winning drive in the closing seconds of Super Bowl XXIII}; Twiggy {29 measurement?}
88 - Snowmen (or Pocket Snowmen); Two Fat Ladies; Racetracks; Piano Keys; Little Oldsmobile {car model smaller than the 98}
87 - RPM {original 10-inch vinyl record speed was 78 r.p.m.}
86 - Henry Bowen {Texas gambler}
85 - Finky Dink
84 - Orwell {George Orwell wrote the novel "1984"}
83 - Most feared hand in Holdem; Sven; Raquel Welch {actress claims to always be 38 years old}
77 - Sunset Strip; Saturn; Mullets; Walking Sticks
76 - Union Oil {gas station Union 76}; Trombones {song "76 Trombones" from the movie "Music Man"}
75 - Heinz {57 varieties once claimed by food company}
74 - Cambodian Big Slick
73 - Hachem {Joseph Hachem won the 2005 World Series main event with 7c3s, flopping a straight with 4d5d6h}
72 - Beer Hand {time for a beer}
66 - Cherries {shape of the fruit}; Route 66; Kicks {rhymes with 66 in "Route 66" song}
65 - Ken Warren {poker writer who bestowed his own nickname in a book}
64 - The Rabbit {Australian cricketer Adam Gilchrist who hit a lot of 6's and 4's}; Gilchrist
63 - Jimmy Summerfield {poker tournament director?}; Blocky {his nickname}
62 - Ainsworth {British poker player Ron Ainsworth, known to play this}; Cowboy Wolford {poker player Byron "Cowboy" Wolford, known to play this}
55 - Presto; Speed Limit
54 - Colt 45; Jesse James {may have been killed by a Colt 45}; Jane Russell; Moneymaker {Chris Moneymaker won the 2003 WSOP Main Event with this hand}
53 - Bully Johnson {poker player, described as laid back and quiet by Doyle Brunson, played this hand despite preflop raise and caught a straight on the flop to win against trip aces}
52 - Quarter; Two Bits
44 - Canadian Presto; Diana Dors; Magnum; Colt 44; Sailboats
43 - Waltz {dance in 3/4 time (three beats of quarter notes per measure)}
42 - Lumberman's Hand {two by four pieces of wood}
33 - Crabs; City Park {Two Threes [Trees]}; Treys
32 - Hooter Hand; Mississippi Slick; Polish Big Slick; Can of Corn
22 - Ducks; Pocket Swans; Deuces

Note: some inappropriate nicknames were not included above.